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Bible History of the Old Testament |
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No. 2 1 Jacob's Night of Wrestling Reconciliation Between Jacob and Esau Genesis 32 - 36
It was this time in Jacob's life that could probably be described as his spiritual high point. His history was quite different from that of his grandfather Abraham's concerning Mount Moriah. But to both of them it was a place of trial and of decision - but one of them went to it, and the other left it with a new name and all that it implied. The dreaded meeting with Laban was now past, thanks to God intervening on his behalf. Now Laban had left and one enemy was behind him, but he didn't know what lay ahead. With Laban he could rightly claim that he had honestly served him unselfishly and without abandon so that he could have his daughters. He must have wondered though, what he could say to Esau, knowing of how he had deceived him those many years ago. He had no idea how he would meet him, and if Esau still carried the revenge in his heart that had been there 20 years ago. He did not have any of the answers to the questions running around in his head. All he could think of was that the Lord was directing him to go back to his home land and somehow he must be going to take care of it. He was not long in receiving assurance from God that would strengthen his faith. Leaving the mountains of Gilead, he entered the land of promise. This land afterwards became the possession of Gad. He saw immense beauty, fruitfulness, rich pasturelands, and dark mountain forests above rich plains below them. It was there as he entered the land that "the angels of God met him." It had been 20 years before when they had met him at Bethel as he was leaving on his far journey as a much different person - a deceiver and one who was running for his life. God had met with him just as he was leaving the country, and now He was meeting with him again as he was entering it again. The first time the angels had been ascending and descending up to heaven, and this time they were "angel hosts" to defend him in the meeting with his brother Esau. The first time he had seen them in a dream, and now they appeared to him while he was awake, as if this would convey a stronger assurance to him. From this day forward he would name this place Mahanaim, "two hosts" or "two camps." It was from here that he had sent Esau a reconciliatory message, but the messengers returned without any reply, other than that Esau was himself coming to meet his brother with a band of four hundred men. This was definitely alarming to Jacob. He did not know that Esau had just been engaged in a warlike expedition against Seir, and had probably gathered the men for plunder and bloodshed. The wild Bedouin tribes to this very day carry terror wherever they appear. So to receive no reply at all would be a great trial for Jacob. Up until then he had succeeded in evading danger, but he didn't know about this time. He must have felt absolutely helpless in the face of an enemy that he could neither retreat from nor escape from. Jacob was "greatly afraid and distressed." The way that he acted proved this. He divided his caravan into two bands, in the hope that if Esau attacked one, the other might be able to escape. He must have been very doubtful that this would help very much, though, and got alone and prayed. He confessed before God his utter unworthiness along with asking him to deliver them. He reminded God of how he had told them to return to Canaan, about His past mercies, and the gracious promises He had made. At the same time he addressed God as Jehovah, the covenant-God of Abraham and Isaac. He cried out to God in desperation because he didn't think there was any human way out. He was soon to see that Jehovah would keep his promise. At the ford of Jabbok, two streams converge which flow from the East into the Jordan River, between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Almost midway between these two points, there is only one place where one could ford the river, so it is thought with almost perfect certainty that this is the place that Jacob's family and animals and herdsmen crossed the river. Even at this place, the current was very strong. The beauty and richness of the whole place was like a park. There were rich crops, full trees and shrubbery, the almost tropical vegetation of the beautiful Jordan Valley and also the hills of Palestine beyond it. Looking down upon all this beauty, the brook Jabbok would have been almost invisible from the thicket of oleanders which covered its banks. On the steeper side of the river, there were forests of oak and evergreen oak that merged into darker pine. Jacob had already sent all his family and herds across the river and he was left there alone. It was a night of solitude and overhead shone the innumerable stars where God had told his grandfather Abraham that he would bless him immensely. All this silence was only broken by the rushing of Jabbok, and the lowing of the flocks and herds on the other side of the river. Jacob had sent on ahead quite a large number of cattle and sheep in separate droves. Each one of them bore a separate message of peace, and Jacob was hoping that all the gifts might appease Esau's anger towards him. With all this taken care of and his wives and children safely on the other bank, he was left alone. It was there on the banks that occurred what has ever since been of the deepest significance to the church of God. "There wrestled with him a man till the breaking of day." That "Man" was the Angel of Jehovah in Whom was His Presence. "And when He saw that He prevailed not against him, He touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with Him." It must have been some wrestling match, but by now Jacob had a far greater thing in mind as his goal. "And He said, Let Me go, for the day breaketh. And he (Jacob) said, I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." By now Jacob had recognized the character of his opponent, and he sought quite another victory and means that he had started out with. He no longer expected to prevail in his own strength, and asked to be blessed by Him with whom he had wrestled, so he might prevail. That blessing was given. But first the Lord brought before him what had been his old name as expressive of his history - Jacob, "the cunning self-helpful supplanter." Then He bestowed on him a new name - Israel, "a prince with God." It was in this new character that he would have power with God and men and prevail against his enemies. But he must not have known the name of the mysterious Angel, for "the mystery of godliness" was not to be fully revealed till all the purposes for which Jacob was to become Israel had been fulfilled. "And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel (the face of God): for I have seen God face to face, and my soul has recovered. And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day." This was definitely a real transaction that happened, but it was symbolic of Jacob's past, present, and future. The "man" who had wrestled with Jacob all night was Jehovah. Jacob had indeed been the believing heir to the promises, but all his life long he had wrestled with God by seeking to attain success in his own strength and by his own devices, no matter what they were. Thinking that he had contended with man, he had really contended with God. But God had also contended with him. At last Jacob could fight no longer because God had touched the hollow of his thigh and he was disabled. God had made sure that before he had encountered his earthly enemy, he had contended with Himself. He had to change Jacob's heart so that he would no longer try to do things by his own devices and with his own cunning. The contest with Esau was really nothing, but the contest with Jehovah was everything. The Lord could not be on Jacob's side until he had been disabled, and learned to use other weapons other than those of his own making. It was only then that Jacob realized with whom he had been wrestling. It was truly at the breaking of the day that he obtained a new name, and with it new power, in which he prevailed with God and man. He was now Israel, a prince with God. This whole scene has been a most precious symbol to the children of God down through the ages. As Jacob passed over Jabbok in the early morning, he saw the glittering of the spears and lances in the sunlight, which told him that Esau and his men were arriving. But he had nothing more to fear, because the real contest was over. It was very necessary that what was past in his history should be past when he returned to take possession of the land and the promises. After that night, never again did he contend with carnal weapons. Though he was still called by the name Jacob again and again, it was to remind him that there is a two-fold nature in us and the old nature never completely dies. As we already stated, Esau had probably been just engaged in an expedition to conquer the land that he afterwards settled on. This accounts for his appearance at the head of an armed band. He may have also possibly wanted to make Joseph as anxious as he possibly could before they met; or it could be that he may have been to the very last undecided as to how he would act towards his brother. At any rate, under the guidance of God, and Jacob's newfound humility and kindness, Esau fell upon his neck and embraced and kissed him. He reluctantly accepted the many gifts of Jacob and also offered to accompany him to the end of his journey. Jacob declined the offer, probably because now he may have felt that he did not need an earthly host to protect him. Besides, it would have been impossible for all the wives, children, and flocks to have kept up with a Bedouin warrior band. Jacob must not have declined in a way that upset his brother, but must have used proper respect to him and his men. Anyway, the two brothers were reconciled to each other, and their good understanding remained undisturbed till the day of their death. We will finish the life of Jacob in the next text due to the length of the narrative. For more information from this book, go to the archives page at my site www.cathydeaton.com There are other articles of interest there also. This text has been taken from the book Bible History Old Testament written by Alfred Edersheim. This book has been used by permission.
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